Culture

Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle claims 43% Nigerian roots

Published

1 year ago

October 26, 2022

The Duchess of Sussex and wife of Britain’s Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, Meghan Markle, claims she is an African with a 43% Nigerian root.

The mother of two who made the stunning revelation during a conversation with Senegalese-American actress and comedian, Issa Rae, and Nigerian-American comedian, Ziwe Fumudoh, on Tuesday, said she found out her roots when she took a genealogy test years ago and the result revealed that she is 43% Nigerian.

A genealogical DNA test is a DNA-based test used that looks at specific locations of a person’s genome to find or verify ancestral genealogical relationships or to estimate the ethnic mixture of an individual.

In the conversation which is part of her latest podcast episode, Archetypes, titled “Upending the angry black woman myth”, Markle said she is very positive of her Nigerian roots.

”I had my genealogy test done a couple of years ago and I am 43 percent Nigerian,” Markle said.

A shocked Fumudoh who was taken aback, excitedly shouted:

“No way. Are you serious? This is huge. Igbo, Yoruba, do we know?”

The Duchess of Sussex then tells her listeners: “I’m going to start to dig deeper into all of this because anyone I’ve told, especially Nigerian women, are just like, what?”

This is not the first time Markle has hinted that her roots are likely to be African.

She had once told an interviewer about being biracial with her mother an African-American while her father is Caucasian, but did not delve deeper into her roots until now.

“Being biracial paints a blurred line that is equal parts staggering and illuminating.

“While my mixed heritage may have created a grey area surrounding my self-identification, keeping me with a foot on both sides of the fence, I have come to embrace that.

“To say who I am, to share where I’m from, to voice my pride in being a strong, confident mixed-race woman,” had said in the interview.

Related Topics:Duchess of Sussex Featured Meghan Markle Nigerian Claim

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Culture

Ghana mourns as top gospel music icon Koda passes away

Published

14 hours ago

April 22, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

The Ghanaian entertainment industry has, once again, been thrown into mourning following the death of renowned gospel musician, Kofi Owusu Dua Anto, known professionally as Koda, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 46.

According to reports, the gospel music icon and producer died from a kidney-related condition he had been suffering from for sometime.

Koda, renowned for hit songs like “Hossana”, “Nkwaa Abodo”, “Nsem Pii” and “Adooso”, was also a producer of repute who gained fame for his inspiring compositions and his captivating, soul-stirring vocals that struck a chord with audiences nationwide.

A local media reports that he worked with a lot of Gospel musicians in Ghana and Nigeria including popular Nigerian gospel singer, Nathaniel Bassey.

Culture

Ghana’s Elmina Fishing Harbour welcomes first-ever cruise liner SH Vega

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

The Ghanaian tourism industry got a big boost when the legendary Elmina Fishing Harbour welcomed its first ever cruise liner, the SH Vega, a 280-capacity passenger vessel with a total of 115 persons, comprising 106 passengers and nine crew members.

The CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority, Àkwasi Agyeman, who recieved the vessel, said
nationalities of the tourists aboard the cruise vessel included Australia, Austria, China, France, Germany, Greece, Russia, and Nigeria among others.

Agyeman who spoke with journalists on the historic visit, said the visitors were given the opportunity to explore the Elmina castle and township, the Batik making centre at global mamas in Elmina, the Kakum National Park and the Cape Coast castle.

“It’s another win and boost for Ghana’s tourism industry when the Elmina Fishing Harbour welcomed its first-ever cruise liner, the SH Vega on Thursday, April 18,” Agyeman said.

“Ghana continues to fare well as a favourite destination of cruise passengers worldwide with Tema and Takoradi being the traditional Ports of call.

“The tourists toured Elmina castle and its township, the Batik making Centre at Global Mamas in Elmina, the Kakum National Park and the Cape coast castle amidst traditional drumming and some dance lessons.

“The vessel, SH Vega, dropped its anchor in the Elmina waters, about 8.8 cables away from the port’s main breakwater. It then lowered its Zodiac (inflatable boats) into the water before carefully disembarking the 115 passengers and crew members into the zodiac in safe batches.

“The vessel had previously sailed to some ports including Angola, Benin, Congo, Gabon, Togo and São Tomé.

“This game-changing moment for the cruise liner business in Ghana showcases our limitless possibilities and the excellent potential for the tourism industry in the Central Region and Ghana.

“We stand proud of this historic moment,” Agyeman stated.